</s>H. S. Department of Justice WALLE, NOT NOT REMOVED FROM OR ADDEDTO THE FILLED WATERSIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVEO FROM OR ADDED TO THE FILED FEDERAL BUREAU of INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number See also No. 35-1/2-0 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The declassified documents consist of FBI case files from April–May 1968, primarily focused on an investigation linked to threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (referred to by code as "MURKIN CR"). The files reference James Earl Ray, Jimmy George Robinson, and J.B. Stoner as potential suspects or associates, though no explicit connection to MLK’s assassination is confirmed. Key elements include forensic investigations into laundry markings, financial checks on Alabama banks, and inter-agency coordination between FBI offices in Memphis, Birmingham, Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. The documents also mention informants like Ozie Scarborough of Dothan, Alabama, and efforts to track aliases such as Albert Willard and Johnnie Willard. These records reflect the FBI’s operational methods during the 1960s, including reliance on telecommunication systems (TELETYPE, AIRTEL) and collaboration with local law enforcement.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central figure in the investigation; later convicted of MLK Jr.’s assassination but remains a subject of conspiracy theories.  
- **Jimmy George Robinson** and **J.B. Stoner**: Named as potential suspects or associates.  
- **Edith Ray Thompson**: James Earl Ray’s mother, with family ties in Springfield, Missouri.  
- **Ozie Scarborough**: Informant providing details about the Ray family and their connections to Springfield, Missouri.  
- **Albert Willard** and **Johnnie Willard**: Aliases linked to suspects under investigation.  

Key Locations  
- **Alabama**: Union Springs, Tuskegee, Mobile; American National Bank (Union Springs), First National Bank (Tuskegee).  
- **Georgia**: Not explicitly detailed but referenced in geographic scope.  
- **Texas**: Mentioned as part of the investigative area.  
- **California**: Santa Ana, Culver City (laundry markings investigation).  
- **Missouri**: Springfield, where Ray’s family connections were explored.  

Key Events  
- **Forensic investigations**: Focus on "Thermo-Seal" laundry markings found near Union Springs and traced to Culver City, California.  
- **Financial checks**: Scrutiny of banks in Alabama for records related to suspects.  
- **Dancing schools investigation**: Efforts to track individuals named Albert Willard or Johnnie Willard through dance studios in Birmingham, Selma, and Dothan.  
- **Inter-agency coordination**: FBI collaboration with local law enforcement, credit bureaus, and directories to gather information.  
- **Publicity campaigns**: Distribution of newspaper mats to publicize James Earl Ray as a fugitive under the "10 Most Wanted Fugitives" program.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Central agency conducting investigations; divisions in Memphis, Birmingham, Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles involved.  
- **Local law enforcement**: Coordinated with FBI for case details and suspect tracking.  
- **Credit bureaus and directories**: Used to verify identities and financial records of suspects.

MLK Declassified Files

157-mo-2627_625067_26-06-part_1_of_2.pdf

Document Summary

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